Megaton
Megaton is a four piece stoner, sludge metal band from Omaha, Nebraska, USA. The current lineup consists of guitarist/vocalist Steve Smith, bassist/vocalist Serena McLaughlin, guitarist Derrek Christians and drummer Mario Ibarra. The band blends a variety of different sounds into the stoner and sludge metal genres. Currently the band is in the studio working on their debut album, I Am Become Death. History Formation and Early Days (2009 - 2012) The band was formed in 2009 by guitarist/vocalist Steve Smith and drummer Dave Koziol. Soon joined by bassist Rob Lantz, the three of them set out to write music based on their mutual influences, consisting of groups like Black Sabbath, The Sword, Mastodon and Electric Wizard. When coming up with a name, Rob suggested finding "something that sounded huge." This is when Steve suggested calling the band Megaton. This lineup existed from early 2010 to mid 2012, when Rob departed due to his career in the air force. Replacing him was bassist Serena McLaughlin (then known as Joe McLaughlin), from the bands Karathos and Sandskin. This lineup started working on recordings that would end up on The Age of Strife single, which consisted of two songs. The title track is the only studio recording featuring the original lineup of Smith, Lantz and Koziol (with backing vocals provided by McLaughlin). The other track, Imperfect Anarchy as well as the live track version of Spirtual Madness, featured the then current lineup. These two tracks were recorded in Pisspoor Studios by Pete Peterson and mixed by Doug Decker of Anytime Studios. The song The Age of Strife was played on local radio and given away by the band at shows and online, on their Bandcamp page. Line-up Changes and Cybernetic Divine (2013 - 2014) This lineup continued playing shows and building it's following around the Nebraska area until the summer of 2013 when guitarist Derrek Christians, who had been playing in Serena's other band Karathos, was added on second guitar. A short time later Dave Koziol departed. With an open drum spot, Megaton held auditions and recruited former Creatures of Habit, Sinsoil and Nature Dicks drummer Mario Ibarra. The band, temporarily a three piece with Derrek Christians being overseas, recorded the Cybernetic Divine EP that fall and released it in December of that year. The EP was recorded by Steve Smith and once again mixed by Doug Decker. The EP was a very raw and basic approach and recorded live in the studio with guitar, bass and vocal overdubs added in later. The EP's sound was described as "the aural equivalent of Bigfoot swinging a bag of hammers" by Neil Pretorius of The Metal Observer Cybernetic Divine Review. The Metal Observer - August 14th, 2014 Upcoming Album (2015 - Present) After the release of Cybernetic Divine, the band continued to play many shows around the Omaha and Lincoln areas, as well as booking and supporting several bands coming though on tour. As of June 2015, the band is in the studio mixing and preparing to release their debut album I Am Become Death. The album will consist of 9 songs, consisting of many songs that span the course of the band's tenure, including a cover of Black Sabbath's Electric Funeral. The album will feature a series of guest spots by many other local artists. The recording and mixing is once again headed up by longtime collaborator Doug Decker. Characteristics Music Styles Megaton combines several genres of metal and rock into it's base sludge metal sound. Many of the influences that the members carry come from thrash metal, progressive, experimental metal, drone, punk rock, psychedelic and death metal, The band enjoys crossing into genres not typically associated with stoner, sludge or doom. It isn't uncommon for a band to go from a thrashy song to a ambient song in the same set. Lyrical Themes The lyrics and themes provided by vocalist Steve Smith and Serena McLaughlin are often rooted in post-apocalyptic scenarios. Fictional scenarios described by the band include, destruction of the Earth by an asteroid, the enslavement of the human race by machines, The destruction of the planet by nuclear weapons, the end of civilization wiped out by a plague. Many songs also deal with the potential aftermath, which could include surviving in a wasteland or evacuating the human race into outer space. Experimentation The band often uses different effects or instruments to provide a complex soundscape. Guitarist Derrek Christians uses a series of pedals and harmonies. Bassist Serena McLaughlin uses a six string bass and certain effects to provide sounds not normally attributed to a standard bass style. Personnel Current Members *'Steve Smith' - Lead Vocals, Guitars (2009 - Present) *'Serena McLaughlin' - Lead Vocals, Bass (2012 - Present) *'Derrek Christians' - Guitars, Backing Vocals (2013 - Present) *'Mario Ibarra' - Drums, Percussion, Samples (2013 - Present) Former Members *Dave Koziol - Drums, Percussion (2009 - 2013) *Rob Lantz - Bass, Vocals (2009 - 2012) Discography Studio Albums *I Am Become Death (2015) Extended Plays *Cybernetic Divine (2013) Singles *Age of Strife (2012) External Links *Bandcamp *Facebook *Soundcloud *Offical Site References Category:Band Category:Sludge Metal Category:Stoner Rock Category:Heavy Metal Category:Omaha Category:Nebraska Category:USA Category:Doom Metal